Expert thought

In view of the restrictive 2018 Luhansk People’s Republic statute, it is not surprising that some groups declined to apply for registration, while others were refused. The result is that many religious communities find themselves outside the law…. the 48 Baptist Union congregations have had to cease their activity altogether.

Religious Studies

In the context of recent events in the Orthodox world, disputes over the boundaries of church institutions often arise between the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Kyiv and Moscow. Ukraine accuses Russia of misappropriating the territory of the Kyiv Metropolis. In its turn, Moscow appeals to the fact that the ancient Kyiv Metropolis differs from the territory of modern Ukraine. RISU decided to clarify this topic, getting advice from historians. Based on this research, we prepared an infographic.

The first question that arises concerning Ukraine is this: with what right and based on which holy canons, does Russia today claim the ecclesiastical and administrative dependency of the Metropolis of Kyiv?

Calendar

Episcopal visitor of German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine appointed in Kyiv

On December 1, the Kyivan Church of St. Catherine held a festive Liturgy on the occasion of the appointment of the episcopal visitor of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine (GELCU) Pavlo Schwartz, the Polish edition of Luteranie reports.

On October 9, 2018, the Synod of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine elected new pastor of the Church, pastor of the community of the Holy Ascension of Kharkiv, Pavlo Schwartz.

The solemnity of December 1 brought together the clergy and faithful of the GELCU communities, representatives of the Lutheran Churches of Europe, Asia and the USA, the Ukrainian Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Reformed and Evangelical Churches of Ukraine, representatives of the Ukrainian government and the Embassy of Germany, German cultural societies, the GELCU website reports.

The head of the Department for Religious Affairs and Nationalities Andriy Yurash read the welcoming speech to the assembly. Congratulations were received from the leaders of the World Lutheran Federation, the Evangelical Church of Germany, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bavaria, the Silesian Evangelical Church, the UGCC and many others.

Pastor Pavlo Schwartz was blessed, endowed with rights and appointed in accordance with the established order of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Chairman of the Episcopal Council of the Union of the ELC, the bishop of the ELC of the Siberia, the Urals and the Far East, Alexander Shayerman.

The assistants in the appointment were: Bishop of Evangelical Augsburg Church in the Republic of Poland Jerzy Samiec, Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgia Marcus Schoech, Bishop of the Hungarian Evangelical Lutheran Church Pal Lackner, Senior Church Advisor to the Martin Luther Union Pastor Michael Hübner, Director of the Northeastern Mission Martin Wilborg, Director of the Eastern European Network of Missions Pastor David Briedenbach, President of the Synod of NELCU Pastor Alexander Gross.

Reference: According to the provisions of the GELCU Statute of 2013, the Episcopal Visitor is a post which, for some time, is held by one of the pastors elected by the Synod. In the tradition of GELCU, one of the Bishops of the Union of the ELC (formerly ELKRAS) is introduced into the post, with at least two bishops assisted by him.

Pastor Pavlo Schwartz was elected for one year. His duties include visiting the GELCU communities, managing the process of reconciliation and restoring relations with the Lutheran communities that left the GELCU in recent years.